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California  + Bay Area  + Retail  | 

Urban Catalyst Raises $131M in First Opportunity Zone Fund

San Jose-based Urban Catalyst reports it raised $131 million in its first funding round to further transform downtown San Jose through the construction of seven ground-up real estate development projects. The Opportunity Zone fund company secured 356 commitments from a diversified investor base including tech workers from nearby companies that accounted for nearly 75% of the investments in 2020. The Fund’s Opportunity Zone projects are focused on revitalizing downtown San Jose into a vibrant place to live, work and visit.

Urban Catalyst’s Erik Hayden says, “During a year of extreme uncertainty, where we saw the stock market whipsaw like a roller coaster, our fundraising is an indication investors are looking to safely diversify into quality real estate. Now comes the important part of Fund I, and that is building quality projects.”

Urban Catalyst Fund I closed escrow on its final property last month and the developer expects to start construction on all of its projects in 2021 and 2022.

For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Dennis Kaiser

*Pictured Fountain Alley Building in San Jose

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About Dennis Kaiser

Dennis Kaiser is Vice President of Public Relations and Communications for Connect Creative. Dennis is a communications leader with more than 40 years of experience including as a journalist and in corporate and agency marketing communications roles. He is responsible for Connect Creative’s agency client services and is involved in a range of initiatives ranging from public relations and content strategy, communications and message development, copywriting, media relations, social media and content marketing services. Prior to joining Connect Media in 2015, his most recent corporate communications roles involved leading a regional public relations effort across Southern California for CBRE, playing a key marketing role on JLL’s national retail team, and directing the global public relations effort at ValleyCrest (BrightView), the nation’s largest commercial landscape services company. He has worked on marketing communications assignments for such CRE companies as Blackstone/Equity Office, Carlyle, Caruso, Disney Resorts, GE Capital, Irvine Company, Hines, Howard Hughes Corp., Jeffries, Lennar, MGM, Marcus & Millichap, Prologis, Raleigh Studios, Simon, Starwood, Trammell Crow Company, Transamerica, UBS and Wynn Resorts. Dennis has also worked on communications and launch strategies for a number of consumer electronic, media and tech brands including SlingMedia, Channel Master, Deluxe Media Entertainment, BeIn Sports, EchoStar and Sprint. Dennis’s agency background included firms such as Off Madison Ave., Idea Hall and Macy + Associates. He has earned an outstanding reputation with organization leaders as a trusted advisor, strategic program implementer, consensus builder and exceptional collaborator. Dennis has developed and managed national communications programs for Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, both public and private. He’s successfully worked with journalists across the globe representing clients involved in major-breaking news stories, product launches, media tours, and company news announcements. Dennis has been involved in a host of charitable and community organizations including the American Cancer Society, Easter Seals, Boy Scouts, Chrysalis Foundation, Freedom For Life, HOLA, L.A.’s BEST, Reach Out and Read, Super Bowl Host Committee, and the Thunderbirds Charities.

  • ◦Financing
  • ◦Development
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